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The Last Outpost (episode)
In pursuit of Ferengi marauders, the Enterprise and its quarry become trapped by a mysterious planet that is draining both ships' energies. Summary Teaser The is in pursuit of a Ferengi vessel suspected of stealing a Federation-owned T-9 energy converter from Gamma Tauri IV. The mission is also an opportunity to encounter the Ferengi, who have never established visual contact with the Federation. The pursuit ends when the Ferengi ship gets close to a planet in the Delphi Ardu system and goes to sub-warp speed, possibly suffering a power surge. After a while, it opens fire on the Enterprise, causing her minimal damage. Captain Picard chooses not to return fire, arguing that the Ferengi are just reacting to the pursuit. Soon after, however, the Enterprise also suffers a power system failure, becoming immobilized with phasers and shields off-line. Act One The crew members believe their ship is trapped by the Ferengi. In the attempt to understand more of their enemies, Data summarizes what is known about them: they are traders, and value profit above all, not unlike Yankee traders of 18th and 19th century North America. Riker and La Forge envisage a way to escape the trap, by jumping abruptly to maximum warp and taking advantage of the relatively slower reaction of the force field. To catch the Ferengi off guard, Picard hails them, asking for the restitution of the stolen equipment, but receives no answer. The Enterprise then attempts the warp jump, but the plan is not successful. Furthermore, the computer data banks are being accessed by some unknown external source. Troi points out that all the attention has been devoted to the Ferengi, neglecting the possible role of the planet. A conference is held among the senior officers, and, after discarding the hypothesis of fighting, they decide to try contacting the Ferengi again. Picard hails them, asking to present their terms. Act Two After a moment, the Ferengi DaiMon Tarr replies. Much to the astonishment of the Enterprise bridge crew, he says that he is ready to discuss surrender, but not unconditional surrender: he will return the energy converter and offer the lives of the second officers. It is now clear that both ships are trapped, and that the Ferengi are not the source of the energy field. The Enterprise senior officers convene again in the observation lounge. There, Data explains what is known about the mysterious planet, not before becoming stuck with a Chinese finger trap left in the room by a couple of children, Matthew and Pola. Thanks to the help of Captain Picard, Data gets his fingers released and explains that the planet might be one of the most distant outposts of the Tkon Empire, an ancient and powerful space federation that existed over 600,000 years in the past and was now extinct due to their star going supernova. During the meeting, a probe launched from the Enterprise transmits its information, revealing that indeed both ships are trapped in a force field emanating from the planet's surface. Act Three Picard again contacts the Ferengi, who have also discovered the true nature of the trap. After some confrontation with DaiMon Tarr, Picard suggests to exchange information in order to solve the common problem, which is endangering both ships. They decide to send an away team each down to the surface. Despite the apparent risks, including a loss of communication and no way to beam back on board the Enterprise, Riker, La Forge, Data, Worf, and Yar beam to the planet. On the surface, the Enterprise members are initially separated, and try to rejoin. The planet surface is full of crystals, and the sky is beset by thunder and lightning. Worf, Riker, Data, and La Forge are attacked by the Ferengi away team, armed with energy whips, knocking them unconscious. Act Four On the Enterprise, the situation is getting critical, as life support is failing. All energy is diverted to the family decks to extend their survival. The Ferengi on the planet are looking at Riker's combadge, wondering whether it is gold, while the Enterprise away team gradually recover their senses. A fight begins, which is resolved when Yar intervenes with a phaser. The Ferengi, with an acute sense of hearing, are disturbed by the planetary thunderclaps. They also show their surprise for the way Humans work together with their females and keep them clothed. On the Enterprise, it's getting cold and very dark. Picard and Beverly Crusher discuss whether she should give a sedative to her son, Wesley, or if he should keep awake waiting for death. Picard thinks Wesley has the right to greet death while awake. On the planet a mysterious figure suddenly materializes and is very loud, sending the acutely hearing Ferengi trio into agony. Act Five The newly arrived entity declares himself as Portal 63, a guardian of the Tkon Empire, and asks the away teams whether they want to enter the Empire. The aged guardian is then told by Riker and Data that the Tkon Empire does not exist any longer, and that several ages have passed. Portal 63 has been asleep for a very long time: hundreds of thousands of Earth years. The Ferengi try to strike a friendship with the Portal, asking for control of their ship, and promising to destroy the Enterprise and its crew. They describe the Humans as savages and barbarians, and insert some lies in their report, such as the Humans invaded the planet to steal its trasures, and (horrors!) force their females to wear clothing! The scandal! The Enterprise team, however, accepts the Portal's trial, ready to prove their innocence. Riker is challenged first. Riker's is surprised that the Portal knows his name (Portal 63 can read Riker's mind). The Portal fake attacks him with his spear and is impressed by the composure with which Riker faces his fate. Riker replies that "Fear is the true enemy. The only enemy", quoting Sun Tzu. The Portal is pleased by Riker's thoughts, unlike those of the deceptive Ferengi. The Portal says to Riker that he wants to know more about Earth history, as it's like Tkon's history. Then at Riker's request, he immediately releases the Enterprise, restoring it's power just in time to let the crew recover from what looks like their slumber, but is their point of death. The Portal explains to Riker that he would usually destroy both ships since they were fighting, but then he saw that they were curiously trying to cooperate. The Portal askes Riker if he wants him to destroy the Ferengi, but Riker asks him to release them, since they are similar to ancient Humans: they have much to learn, but they can grow. Portal 63 asks "What if they never learn, Riker?" Riker says his values, and that of the Federation, require them to face the possibility of the Ferengi learning how to destroy them. When Riker asks what the Portal will do now that his Empire's gone, Portal 63 says he will sleep until needed again. This whole time the Ferengi trio have been jumping and fooling around Riker and the Portal like crazed monkeys, and occasionally howling in pain from the loud thunder. On board the Enterprise, the energy converter has been regained. Picard congratulates with the away team for the success of the mission. Riker, with a devilish grin, then asks him permission to beam aboard the Ferengi ship Data's box of the Chinese finger traps (like Scotty gave the tribbles over to the Klingons) as a...thank you for all they tried to do. After Picard commands "Make it so", the two ships leave orbit. Log Entries * [[Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2364#First Contact with the Ferengi|Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2364]] Memorable quotes "We offer the lives of our second officers as required by the Ferengi code." "Fortunately Starfleet has no such rules involving its second officers." : - DaiMon Tarr to Picard and Data "Your alien images again shock us!" : - DaiMon Tarr to Picard "It looks like gold. It tastes like gold!" "It ''is gold." : - '''Letek' and Riker, as Letek examines Riker's combadge "The universe exists to me to create life. I shall sleep, until needed again. ''" : - '''Portal 6-3' "They admit the evil that they ''DO!'' : - Letek referring to Starfleet and the Federation "You work with your females, arm them, force them to wear clothing." : - Ferengi Officer "Merde." : - Picard "Data, what are you doing?" "Apologies, captain. I seem to have reached an odd functional impasse. I am ... stuck." "Then get un-stuck and continue with the briefing!" "Yes, sir. That is what I am trying to do, sir, but the solution eludes me." "My hero." : - Data, Picard, and Geordi, when Data gets his fingers stuck in a children's toy. Background Information * The Ferengi make their first appearance in this episode. Their introduction, however, has been heavily derided and several production staff members have called it "a disaster". (Quark's Story, DS9 Season 2 DVD special features). * According to Armin Shimerman, the actors playing the Ferengi were directed to "jump up and down like crazed gerbils." (Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission) * Rick Berman noted that the Ferengi's "silliness quotient" ruled them out as major adversaries. (Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission) * Wil Wheaton called them "a total joke" until Armin Shimerman repaired much of the damage. He also said that the cast were unhappy with the idiotic behavior of the Ferengi. http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/10/10/star-trek-the-next-generation-the-last-outpost/ * Armin Shimerman makes his first Star Trek appearance in this episode. He went on to play another Ferengi, Bractor, in , before being given the role as Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Quark also appeared in and . * Mike Gomez and Tracey Walter went on to play different Ferengi, Lurin and Berik, respectively, in . * Although unaware, Captain Picard had already encountered a Ferengi starship in 2355, while commanding the . ( ) * Armin Shimerman has often said that one of the reasons he took the role of Quark was to try and undo the damage done to the Ferengi in this episode. (DS9 Season 6 DVD: Crew Dossier: Quark) * The Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion notes that the act of Riker beaming the Chinese finger traps on board the Ferengi ship is reminiscent of Montgomery Scott beaming the tribbles on the Klingon battle cruiser . Scotty, however, did not ask his captain's permission. ( ) * Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) does not appear in this episode, although Wesley is mentioned by his mother. * The master systems display table, nicknamed the "pool table" by the production staff, appears for the first time in this episode, though it still looks very much like its previous appearance in and not like it appeared throughout the rest of the series. * This is also the first time that two of the four corridors leading to main engineering have been blocked by consoles, so only the main corridors close to the MSD remain. This was the norm until , when the wall consoles were removed and main engineering once more is reachable by four corridors. * In this episode and in the integrated blinds of the windows are seen, here in the Observation Lounge. * The logo of the Tkon Empire, seen during the observation lounge briefing, later reappears in the shape of the halberd that Portal 63 wields. The weapon later makes several more appearances, including in and . * The Ferengi Marauder starship has the capability to "stretch" its neck section, but that only happens in this episode and, perhaps coincidentally, when ship-to-ship visual communications are engaged. * The hand-held energy whips used by the Ferengi in this episode would not be seen again until , in which Quark is seen holding an action figure equipped with a whip. "Actual" laser whips would not reappear until , co-incidentally the last Ferengi episode of Star Trek to be made, albeit the first one (chronologically) to feature Ferengi. * featured a similar storyline : in each episode, both the Enterprise and a hostile vessel were disabled by an ancient and mysterious device and accused each other of the responsibility. * Kerrie Cullen served as stunt coordinator for this episode. She was among the group of hired coordinators prior to Dennis Madalone's employment with the series. Cullen is so far the only female stunt coordinator who worked on Star Trek, beside Leslie Hoffman, who served as assistant stunt coordinator on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager. * The episode received its UK premiere on BBC2 on , airing out of order. * One of the few times that Data uses a contraction: Captain this shouldn't be. Video and DVD releases * Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 3, catalog number VHR 2273, * US LaserDisc (Pioneer): catalog number LV40270-107, * UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 1.2, catalog number VHR 4643, * As part of the TNG Season 1 DVD collection Links and references Starring * Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard * Jonathan Frakes as Commander William T. Riker Also starring * LeVar Burton as Lt. Geordi La Forge * Denise Crosby as Lt. Tasha Yar * Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf * Gates McFadden as Doctor Beverly Crusher * Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi * Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data Guest stars *Armin Shimerman as Letek *Jake Dengel as Mordoc *Tracey Walter as Kayron Co-Stars *Darryl Henriques as Portal *Mike Gomez as Daimon Tarr Uncredited co-stars * James G. Becker as Youngblood * Jeffrey Deacon as Bridge Crewman * Tim McCormack as Bennett * Unknown actors as: ** Matthew ** Pola ** Engineer ** Transporter Chief References accumulator; Ages of Tkon; automatic scanners; assassin; baktun; Bastu; batteries; capitalist; Cimi; Chinese finger trap; computer; ; Delphi Ardu IV; Delphi Ardu system; DaiMon; Distant past; electromagnetic pulse; energy whip; Fendor; Ferengi; Ferengi Alliance; Ferengi Code; France; fusion generator; Gamma Tauri; Gamma Tauri IV; Gamma Tauri system; Germany; gold; Human; human history; Italy; Latin; lifeform; life support; Makto; Ozari; reserve power; sensor probe; star; Starfleet; Starfleet Academy; Sun Tzu; supernova; T-9 energy converter; Tarr's Marauder; The Art of War; Tkon Empire; tricorder; "Uncle Sam"; United States of America; Xora; Yankee trader Other references ; Diana; ; ''Greyhound'', USS; ; ''Muleskinner'', USS; Type-7 shuttlecraft; unnamed LCARS file starships |next= }} cs:The Last Outpost de:Der Wächter es:The Last Outpost fr:The Last Outpost ja:TNG:謎の宇宙生命体 nl:The Last Outpost pl:The Last Outpost Last Outpost, The